Join the Morgan Library & Museum for a special screening of Imitation of Life (1934), starring Claudette Colbert, Louise Beavers, and Freddi Washington, which explores the complexities and contradictions of racial identity and the limits of the American dream. The evening will include a discussion with Dr. Miriam J. Petty, Associate Professor in the Department of Radio/Film/Television at Northwestern University.
Directed by John M. Stahl, this first adaptation of Fannie Hurst’s acclaimed novel was a watershed for African-American casting in Hollywood. The film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry of the Library of Congress, and TIME included it among “The 25 Most Important Films on Race.” The 1934 film received nominations for three Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Dr. Miriam J. Petty earned her PhD from Emory University’s Graduate Institute of the Liberal Arts and previously taught at Rutgers University in Newark, N.J., and Princeton University in Princeton, N.J. Petty writes and teaches about race, stardom, performance, reception, adaptation, and genre and is especially interested in the history of African American representation in Hollywood film. Her first book, Stealing the Show: African American Performers and Audiences in 1930s Hollywood (University of California Press) explores the complex relationships between black audiences and black performers in the classical Hollywood era.
This film is not rated but has been deemed appropriate for ages 13 and up. This program takes place in Gilder Lehrman Hall on the Ground Floor. Doors to the theater will open 30 minutes before the film begins.
Please e-mail public_programs@themorgan.org with questions about accessibility.